A Husband To Hold

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The screen door creaked as Julian pulled it open, causing Freckles to wrinkle her nose in disgust. “That has got to be oiled, Hawk.”

“I will, honey,” Julian replied.

Mark rolled his eyes.

Leah grinned.

“Mom, you know Leah. She hired Mark and is joining us for dinner tonight. And this is Rebecca,” Freckles said, “as you well know.”

Leah, of course, knew Phyllis, otherwise known as MaMaw. Short in size, her mainly dark-brown pageboy hair was gray with age, curled slightly under as it framed her face. She had a tired smile as if she’d seen many hard years, though her eyes shone with an inner peace. Leah knew immediately that inner glow bespoke of her relationship with Jesus Christ. They’d had talks before when Phyllis had stopped by the school for one thing or another.

Then there was Rebecca, Phyllis’s middle child. She was a precious child at her age of twelve. Severely handicapped, she was strapped into a wheelchair a lot of the time, but Leah had seen Rebecca make her way around the room, often in her own world as she laughed and played. She was a blessing to all of them, hard to manage occasionally but special in her own way.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Leah said squatting down in front of Rebecca now.

Rebecca gurgled and waved a hand, then bounced in her chair.

“I thought Jimmy said she was tired?” Leah asked.

“She’s on her last legs,” Mark replied. “She always has a spurt of energy as she tries to fight sleep.”

Surprised, Leah glanced around at Mark.

“He’s right,” Phyllis said and stood, leaning down to lift her daughter into her arms. “He’s been a big help with Rebecca here. And she just loves him, don’t you, sweetie,” Phyllis cooed to her daughter, smiling tiredly.

The little girl laughed and wrapped her arms around her mama’s neck. As awkward as it was, the child managed to hold on.

Mark grinned. “She’s my darlin’,” he replied.

“Sorry to run just as you get here, Leah, but I have to put her to bed. Maybe I’ll be down later.”

“That’s fine, Phyllis. We can talk then.”

“Say bye-bye,” she told her daughter as she started through the house. “Bye-bye,” she repeated, talking to her child with all the love a mother had for her baby—even if the baby was twelve years old.

“It was a blessing that she managed to come out here,” Mark said.

She turned her gaze to Mark. “Oh?”

He nodded. “You know she was working herself to exhaustion back East. They lived in a tiny apartment and were on constant watch for gangs and trouble. Rebecca has flourished since they’ve moved here. Even Phyllis is finally looking better, not so exhausted. Julian said Freckles was really worried about her mom.”

“I didn’t realize you spent much time with them,” Leah voiced quietly.

Slipping the toothpick from his mouth he dropped it in a nearby trash can. “I help around the house some. It’s the least I can do since Julian has given me some space to live. But don’t forget, Julian, being Zach’s brother, is indirectly related to me so I’m around them more than just out here.”

His grin melted Leah’s reserves, making her want to stand there and stare at him all night. He looked so mischievous grinning down at her as he leaned there against the doorjamb leading into the dining room. She couldn’t help but smile back. “You’re brothers-in-law,” she agreed.

“Dinner’s ready!”

Drawn out of the feelings that had kept the two of them isolated from the others in the area, Leah turned to see Cathi just finishing her chore of setting the dining room table.

“Oh, dear. I didn’t even offer to help.” Leah clasped her hands together, worry creasing her brow.

Mark reached out and caught her fingers. She jumped, almost pulling back before catching herself. Staring down to where he’d grabbed her hands, his darker ones covering her pale skin, she realized how long it’d been since a man had actually held her hands.

“No reason to be nervous,” he said mildly. “That’s a bad habit of yours, clasping your hands whenever you’re worried.”

She swallowed, reminding herself that Mark worked for Mitch—the sheriff. As handsome and attractive as Mark was, she had to get a grip on herself. She couldn’t let down her guard so easily. He shouldn’t have been able to notice her anxiety. Had she actually fallen so much out of practice since living here in Hill Creek?

Forcing herself to relax, she smiled up at Mark. “I’ll remember that.”

He cocked his head curiously.

She turned and headed toward the table, where Julian and Freckles were just coming through the swinging door that led to the kitchen. Both had their hands filled with old-fashioned stoneware dishes filled with steaming entrées. Relief touched her as she was finally able to divert her attention elsewhere. However, Leah couldn’t help wondering just what Mark might be thinking right now, as quiet as he was behind her.

Mark watched her, wondering if she’d felt anything at all when he’d touched her a moment ago. He hadn’t been thinking when he’d reached out. He’d simply acted, and immediately reacted, noting how soft her skin was, how nervous she was around him, how much he’d startled her.

The look in her eyes, the surprise and shock, made him think that people didn’t touch her often. She was certainly a mystery, this woman. The more he was around her the more mysterious she became.

And the more attractive. As her eyes had opened so wide and watched him, he’d seen dark-blue flecks within the light blue of her eyes. He couldn’t remember seeing eyes quite that color before.

They were beautiful.

They fit her fragile beauty, as well.

He had to get a grip, and fast. He’d been hired to do a job, not suddenly go into some stage of puppy love. He was too old for this! He didn’t want to settle down but liked being a loner. That was why he rarely dated. Dating was for people who wanted to find a mate and marry, not for someone who enjoyed being alone and living their lives as they wanted.

Yet being near Leah made him want to spend more time with her, take her to a movie or out to dinner, somewhere private where he could probe her thoughts, find out her desires and just what and who she was.

Shaking his head, Mark followed Leah to the table, thinking if he didn’t keep his gaze off her it was going to be a long night indeed, not to mention a long six weeks helping her.

Chapter Five

Leah bowed her head as Julian blessed the food and company. When the prayer ended Freckles started the dishes around the table. Sherri returned to eat, saying, “A ride came for little brother.” She scooted into a chair.

Freckles nodded, smiling.

“So, Julian, Leah here asked me earlier just how Wil had saved my life.”

“You were very lucky.” Freckles tsked and snagged a piece of bread before passing it on.

“You want me to tell you what happened?” Mark asked Leah.

Leah nodded before dipping the utensils into the spaghetti. “I am curious.”